Sub-micron laser direct write

Abstract

A method of directing a pulse of laser energy though a workpiece. The workpiece has: a substrate that transmits the laser energy; focusing elements on a surface of the substrate proximal to the laser that focus the laser energy; and a coating on the substrate distal to the laser that absorbs a portion of the laser energy. Each focusing element focuses the laser energy to a point that removes or ablates a portion of the coating from the substrate to produce a hole in the coating.

1. A method comprising:
 directing a pulse of laser energy though a workpiece comprising: 
 a substrate that transmits the laser energy; 
 a plurality of focusing elements on a surface of the substrate proximal to the source of the laser energy that focus the laser energy; and 
 a coating on the substrate distal to the source of the laser energy that absorbs a portion of the laser energy;
 wherein each focusing element focuses the laser energy to a point that removes or ablates a portion of the coating from the substrate to produce a hole in the coating. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the hole is less than 1 μm. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the focusing elements are microspheres. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the diameter of the hole is less than the diameter of the microsphere. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the microspheres form a close-packed monolayer of monodisperse microspheres over a portion of the surface. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the laser energy is directed through all of the focusing elements that are in within the path of the laser energy. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 ;
 wherein the laser energy is directed through a mask before the workpiece; and 
 wherein the mask is configured so that the laser energy is directed through only a subset of the focusing elements or through only one of the focusing elements. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises more than one layer of different materials. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises:
 a layer of titanium on the substrate; and 
 a layer of chromium or gold on the titanium. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a quartz substrate. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microspheres comprise polystyrene. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 placing a receiving substrate adjacent to the workpiece and distal to the source of the laser energy;
 wherein the removed portion of the coating is transferred to the receiving substrate to form a deposit. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein an array of the deposits are formed on the receiving substrate by a single pulse of the laser energy. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein a single deposit is formed on the receiving substrate. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the deposit is an electronic or optical device. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the device is a thin film device, a semiconductor device, a laser, a battery, or a sensing element. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 removing the focusing elements from the workpiece. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 directing a second light through the workpiece;
 wherein the transmittance of the second light is greater than 100% normalized to the total area of the holes within the path of the second light. 
 
 
     
     
       19. An article comprising:
 a substrate that transmits a predetermined frequency of light; 
 a plurality of focusing elements on a surface of the substrate that focus the predetermined frequency of light; and 
 a coating on the substrate distal to the microspheres that absorbs a portion of the predetermined frequency of light. 
 
     
     
       20. The article of  claim 19 , wherein the focusing elements form a close-packed monolayer of monodisperse microspheres over a portion of the surface. 
     
     
       21. The article of  claim 19 , wherein the coating comprises more than one layer of different materials. 
     
     
       22. The article of  claim 21 , wherein a portion of the more than one layers is an electronic or optical device. 
     
     
       23. The article of  claim 22 , wherein the device is a thin film device, a semiconductor device, a laser, a battery, or a sensing element. 
     
     
       24. The article of  claim 19 , wherein the coating comprises:
 a layer of titanium on the substrate; and 
 a layer of chromium or gold on the titanium. 
 
     
     
       25. The article of  claim 19 , wherein the substrate is a quartz substrate. 
     
     
       26. The article of  claim 19 , wherein the microspheres comprise polystyrene.